Hannah Maruyama

Hannah Maruyama is a youth career strategist, AI and future of work expert and CEO of Degree Free, a company that helps families design career paths for young adults without relying on traditional college degrees. With a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Maruyama studies how technology, automation and changing hiring practices are reshaping the labor market. Her work focuses on helping parents and young adults understand where real opportunity exists in a rapidly changing economy and how to build careers that do not depend on a diploma.

Maruyama's own story anchors her credibility. In 2020, she entered the tech industry without a degree by targeting a specific role, acquiring the relevant certification and landing the job within 45 days, despite a degree requirement in the posting. That experience became the foundation of the "Degree Free Four" and "How to Find a Job Backwards" frameworks used across Degree Free's programs today.

She is the author of "The Degree Free Way: How to Help Your 16-20 Year Old Build the Life They Want," a practical guide used by families across the United States to rethink education and career planning. Through her programs, courses and widely followed social media presence, Maruyama has helped thousands of families explore and find overlooked careers, prepare their kids for an AI world of work and launch young adults into the workforce with confidence.

Maruyama speaks to parents, organizations and employers about the future of work, skills-first hiring and what families can do to prepare the next generation for meaningful careers in an AI-driven world.